The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-03
The Pastor of the City Temple, London,
in MIR. Beecher's Pulpit.
A Vast Audience, Embracing Most of Mr..
Beecher's Old Friends and Admirers. Fills
Plymouth Church to Its Utmost Limit.
The Spiritual the Only Influence That Is
Worthy Cultivation and Enjoyment.
A Discourse Full of Hope and Comfort for
Those Who Mourn the Death of the
Famous Brooklyn Divine.

| Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
| NEW DIRK. Oct "A larger audience than
has hitherto met in Plymouth Church since
| Henry Ward Beechers death. assembled this
morning to listen to the late pastors friend and
| possible successor. DR.. Parker, OF London.
Among those present were recognized many
faces familiar in the old days. but not seen since
the eloqusnce Of Mr.. Beecher ceased to be an.at-
traction. The interior Of the church has not
been altered from its severe plaiuess The only
notable change is in the substitution Of slight
book-rest in place of the desk Of wood from the
Mount Of Olives, behind which the great pull
pit orator was won't to stand, and which
is now preserved by his family as a
memento. The services were opened with a
voluntary on the organ, during which DR.. Parker
ascended the platform and took his seat in the
chair often occupied by his late friend
He was followed by the venerable as.
sstant pastor. Something about DR.. Par
kers clsan-shaven face and plainly black
attire. with high-buttoned coat, gave him a
striking resemblance to a priest Of the Catholic
Church. His slightly gray hair stands out in
bunches OF close, wiry curls in all directions
After a selection by the choir DIR.
Halliday invoked the blessings of God upon the
service of the day. DR.. Parker then read the
rather pronounced English accent adding. after
the first few sentences, to ones enjoyment of
the intelligent and really powerful rendition OF
the grand verses of the text In the prayer and
sermon which followed Dr. Parkers mannerisms
were more observable His attitude and gestures
are extremely stiff, almost grotesque. and
as nearly as possible those Of q ner-
vously awkward boy. His delivery
is vocally dramatic. A singular feature is q
tendency to chant passages in which exalted
thought is expressed. This chanting though
novel to cur ears. seems neither without ex-
pressiveness nor appropriateness. as heard from
DIR. Parker. During the singing of another
hymn, the preacher closed his eyes. leaned hi1
head back. and kept time with his foot in a
manner strongly reminding one Of Mr.. Baecher's
habit DR.. Halliday spoke few ords of well
behalf OF the congrsg alton to DR..
Parker. The sermon was, in substance. as
follows
We have not assembled under ordinary condi-
tions. For nearly forty years this particular
Sunday, the frat day OF October, has baen sig
nalized by the reappearancs of an honered and
illustrious pastor In sense full Of mournful
sugEsstiveness he ''is not hera" We feel in
deed that he is not here. without any woSda
being spoken to remind us of the fact. We
know it by the coldness, the loneliness and
sense of dssolation which is upon ALL In dis.
coursing upon tho mortality of man. the preach
which 10 the vsriest commonplace. To declare
that man is mortal, that death has taken him
out OF our sight; that we must all die
speaking trulsms. trite and compare
lively worthless. There are some men who
have genius for the degradation of all life te
the level of common place. They can soon run
through all the miracles of life. Are there NOT
some mon who could walk through the loveliesf
landscape and see nothing in it, who might
see somewhat of beauty in it during their first
pilgrimage, but afterwards everything would be
common. familiar and disregardedl What il
true of a landscape is true of art hurried
pointing Of the finger to some masterpiece and
the whole miracle is gone forever. What is tru<
of the landscape and of art is true also of what
Holy Scripture. They soon cease to be mIracles
TO those who look upon everything with eye
which docs not sec the true unity and
meaning of the universe. Having seen one
miracle we want to another and
having seen two we think wc have seen all; aud
unless miracles. come upon us in showers, and
thus cease to be miracles, our surprise lies
awakened. Beyond this there lies the possible
ity of Qyltrunning even what is known the in
Bible has become book of common-places or q
book OF absurdity The Angel in the toxt is
speaking of Jesus Christ. and in declaring that
he was not in the grave he declared the sublime
doctrine OF the resurrection of the dead. Mega
ton. even in it's highest dsnials. is only ei-
gantic cipher, an infinite emptiness This text
begins negatively, but ends positively, ends in
deed in tone of triumph. He is risen. and there
fore is more here than ever-hsre in fuller per-
sonality, in richer influence in tenderer sympa-
thy. That which local. limited,
physical dsproportonats or burdensome is not
here is forever done away, and the immortal
quality, the radiant saintlinsss. the loyal spirit
uaty, are alive forever more. To be here in
any bodily and real sense is greater wonder
than to have risen int some higher and brighter
full burden. It is felt to be SO heavy that men
cry out, Whence came wet What wei
Whittier go wet What is this burning awful,
fevered life, so full of ehostlness, material.
so abject. yet august9' We know somewhat
Of the difficulties Of incarnation ut many points
of life For example, we know how perilous il
men who have swaysd by their thoughts
or thrown upon our whole life tha
spell of their genius. So long they stand far
off, clothed with their spiritual house and work
ing with tn cir spiritual functions. we give them
homage; but when they come near may
be disappointed. or surprised. or annoyed,
through some personal ipfirmity, some conceit
of manner, some eccentricity of habit, and Wa
may como to regret the day that we ever saw in
the flesh the men who. by their genius,
chanted and blessed our lives. So dangerous is
incarnation. The spirit always suffers through
the fiesh. Here and now they never bs
unitsd 50 as to cease all controversy and live :
Incarnation in every
form and sense Of the term is an
abiding difficulty. |. is So for example. in the
of Jesus Christ, the angel said, HE is risen."
That is really all we want to know IL We carry
that word I'D to its highest significance 10 will
suffice at once the reason and the imagination.
1t is the best word that can be chosen. It
points towards a definite direction. but it makes
no attempt to localize and define. Who can
measure and state IN plain figures
the significance Of this word srisen2"
The Bible is wonderful in its choice
Of terms in describing the indescribable.
On the basis of these reflections we entitled
to establish two three practical suggestions.
For example. the only influence worthy Of culti-
vaton and enjoyment is spiritual That alone
abidss forever We forget duty; cease 20
member the exact amount of wealth; pleasure
itself is a vanished cloud; but thought, the msn-
tai energy that affected our intellectual life, the
moral ministries that nourish and inspire the
clearer memory. and thsy seem to
be magni6ed day by day by
arger recollection. No man knows what
he is really doing we sit down in dsappoint-
nent and say s.The end has come; death is